City commissioners adopt regulations on recreational fire pits

City commissioners adopted regulations Monday regarding mobile and beneath-ground fire pits.City Clerk Arnold Ehlers said City Building Inspector Alan Viox and Nebraska City police report that fire pits for recreation or cooking are popular in Nebraska City, but the city does not have regulations for them.Comm...

City Clerk Arnold Ehlers said City Building Inspector Alan Viox and Nebraska City police report that fire pits for recreation or cooking are popular in Nebraska City, but the city does not have regulations for them.

Commissioners added the regulations to the city's fire protection code.

The city ordinance says that only natural firewood may be burned and only when it is not offensive.

“Burning that is offensive or objectionable because of smoke or odor emissions, or when atmospheric conditions or local circumstances make such fire hazardous, shall be prohibited,” it says.

Commissioners banned outdoor burning from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m.

The ordinance presented Monday originally set the fire ban from midnight to 7 a.m., but Parks Commissioner Jeff Crunk said that is not fair to second-shift workers.

“It may seem like the middle of the night, but for people getting off work at 11 p.m. or 12:30 a.m. it's not. We should set a time that allows them to get out and enjoy an evening,” he said. Crunk moved to delay the fire's out time to 2 a.m.

The regulations say no fire pit shall be larger than three feet in diameter and two feet high.

All fire pits to be located at least 20 feet away from houses or other buildings.

“The fire must be constantly attended and supervised,” the ordinance says.